TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Laura Labenberg on Jun 16, 2026

Class members of the 2026 Rural Judicial Fellows Program were recognized during the TBA Annual Convention in Knoxville. As part of the Young Lawyers Division's summer fellowship program, the fellows attended the convention and participated in special programming alongside the 2026 class of the Diversity Leadership Institute. They also took part in TBA YLD meetings and the annual dinner hosted for the TBA YLD and YLD Fellows. This year’s Rural Judicial Fellows are Johnny Byrd, Rachel Carpenter, Laila Irigoyen and Alana Perez from Belmont University College of Law; Sarah Harper from Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law; and Savannah Beaty from University of Tennessee Winston College of Law. For more information about the program visit the TBA website.

Left to right: Alana Perez, Laila Irgoyen, Sarah Harper, Rachel Carpenter, Johnny Byrd, Savannah Beaty, and RJF Co-Chairs Alix Rogers and Judge Zack Walden